[RACER X]

coming from the world of jap car's....and having sold toyota's for 2years and generally being a car buff...so i know their reliability

these mini's seem to have their fair (if not more) share of problems....

1) radiator/coolant tank
2) surging engine
3) cracking windscreen
4) thin paint in the cabin
5) sunroof rattle
6) handbrake problem

these are only what i have observed in the last 2 days of reading this site...

are you allowing these shortcomings becuase the mini is so much fun? i know i did not have 1 problem w/ the miata. personnally when i buy a car...reliabilty is very high in my list of priorities...and that being NOT TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP....



i;m also reading about alot of rollover's too...another issue entirely....and i have my suspecions about that...

[Tom F.]

The coolant issue seems restricted to MCSs, not that it makes it good, but its being taken care of by deales without a peep and I expect we will get a long term solution soon - its in BMW's interest as well.

All the other things you list seem to be pretty much early edition issues. I've had my MCS for four months now, its solid as a rock, and I've only had the coolant tank problem.

Lots of people have put lots of miles on these cars with no problems. The problem with a list like this is that you mostly hear about the difficulties - few people post about their trouble free Mini experience.

[RACER X]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom F.


Lots of people have put lots of miles on these cars with no problems. The problem with a list like this is that you mostly hear about the difficulties - few people post about their trouble free Mini experience.

i had posted another question in the forum about most mileage....no replies yet, but i would wager and say that most peeps don't have over 15,000mi on their cars yet...

[lightbody]

You HAVE to remember that this site is UNIQUE and due to its nature tends to see problems blown out of proportion and looking like they're much worse than they really are.

Theres only a small proportion of MINI owners on this site, it is not a cross-section!

[RACER X]

well, i don;t think there are whole lot out there...i mean the mini dealer in houston, informed me that they have only sold like 45 in 2 mos....

and i think that sites like these are very common place...i belong to 3 other forum

2 on sportbikes and 1 on miata's..

[HarryHBMCC]

RacerX, most people on this forum bought the 1st-year MINIs. They had some bugs which have for the most part been worked out now. How did the first year of Miatas fare?

Also, this is a european-made car not a japanese-made car and for whatever reason it seems the expectations are different for the build quality of each. It is not the location which changes but it is how the plants are run (north american Honda/Toyota/Suzuki plants run with japanese manufacturing methodologies). If you want a japanese-made car then buy a japanese-made car.

Me, I enjoy popping into the dealership! I buy accessories now and again, chat with my salesperson and my service consultant, etc. The MINI is a car for driving enthusiasts, not people who just want a driving appliance.

Harry

[cooper4us]

Having owned mostly Japanese cars for the past 14 years, I can tell you that they do break like any other car American or European.

My last "Jap" car was a '97 Acura 2.5TL Premium sedan that retailed for about $31K when new. Within the first 10K miles of service the car had a string of warranty related repairs (Mind you this was a near luxury car made in Almighty Japan):

* Failed power door lock actuator
* Burnt out fog lights
* Burnt out dash lights
* Failed engine A/C Fan
* Water leak inside trunk
* Worn out front disk pads
* Steering wheel vibration at highway speeds
* Worn out leather on steering wheel.
* Worn out driver's leather seat (Creases, creaks, peeling out in despite of weekly leather treatment products)
* Squeaky center console.
* Rough shifting 4-speed "Grade Logic" slushbox

Since the car was leased I kept it until the end of the contract. The 4/50 warranty paid for everything but it was annoying to have all these issues come up in a meticously cared for car.


Right now I drive a '02 MINI Cooper CVT with 3,200 troublefree miles. I also have a 2001 Chevy Impala LS with 18,700 troublefree miles as well.

Make you own conclusions. Japanese "reliability" is very, very overrated and the best marketing "Card" played by the Japanese automakers in this country.

Since you sold Toyotas, let's talk about the "Sludged" engine problems that have affected a vast number of Toyota/Lexus models equipped with the 3.0L V6 engine. There are 3.3 Million cars with these defective engines and Toyota still denies an engineering defect to this day.


How about that?

[sjbartnik]

Quote:

1) radiator/coolant tank
2) surging engine
3) cracking windscreen
4) thin paint in the cabin
5) sunroof rattle
6) handbrake problem

Yep and I bet that if you go to a Toyota or Mazda message board you will see similar problems. Problems are always overrepresented in message board posts because no one posts to say their car has no problems (like mine).

Quote:

i;m also reading about alot of rollover's too...another issue entirely....and i have my suspecions about that...

LOL I'm sure you do. Based on the descriptions I've read from those accidents, those cars that rolled were tripped by something, i.e. a curb, etc. That happens to any car when tripped. Harder to do with cars than trucks/SUVs but relatively easy when tripped.

So what was the point of your post other than trolling?

[RACER X]

no trolling intended....i have better things to do..i think i'm bringing a valid point as my poll show so far 66% have had problems where the dealer had to get involved.

i an genuinely interested in the mini...however i am so far not overly impressed w/ the build quality....

i came to this site to get more insight into this car...simple


BTW, the miata was specifically built car....ala rear wheel drive...w/ very high reliability factor.

[Tom F.]

Bartnik, Obehave, me...

if you want a trouble free MCS, get EB. The color serves as a force field to keep gremlin's away!

[vegan]

I bought my Cooper in April 2002 and I have had none of the problems listed by RacerX.
Having owned many cars. Built in various countries.
I can honestly say that this little car has been a pleasure to own.
Infact I may have to buy another one so my spouse will leave my car alone.

[RACER X]

Quote:

Originally posted by vegan
I bought my Cooper in April 2002 and I have had none of the problems listed by RacerX.
Having owned many cars. Built in various countries.
I can honestly say that this little car has been a pleasure to own.
Infact I may have to buy another one so my spouse will leave my car alone.

well, thats good, you go against the curve since you have an early model 1 too....

is it EB as other's have mentioned...

[sjbartnik]

Quote:

Originally posted by RACER X
no trolling intended....i have better things to do..i think i'm bringing a valid point as my poll show so far 66% have had problems where the dealer had to get involved.

i came to this site to get more insight into this car...simple

Sorry, your post seemed to have a sort of antagonistic tone but perhaps I was just reading too much into it.

At any rate, I suspect the vast majority of MINI buyers do not have any serious (or not so serious) problems with their cars, but as with any make, there will be some.

Before the MINI I had a Volkswagen Passat. I spend a lot of time on vwvortex.com and by the things you see there you'd think every car was junk. However I never had a problem with my Passat, in fact it was an excellent car in all respects. It's just the nature of the online forums that on the forums, you're going to see the problems.

But if the build quality/reliability worries you that much, then just put your mind at ease and stick with the Miata, which is an excellent car in its own right.

Tom, you may be onto something there with your EB theory

[vegan]

My car is indigo blue so I believe you could use the blue theory at a stretch.

[kshapiro]

Basically, Racer X is correct. I've had Hondas and Mazdas (Miata) and never went back to a dealer (thank god). Even though the Miata was a specific "new" car, Mazda was not. MINI is basically a start up company, so I accept the "niggles" I've had (coolant leak, squeaky seats, crappy AM radio section). I'd be upset and surprised if MINIs had these kind of problems a year or two down the road. Even if I'd been aware ahead of time, a MINI Cooper "S" with a few niggles like mine is WAY more fun than a Miata (I've owned both).

What's the last new brand of car that came out with less problems than the MINI?

[swamos]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom F.
Bartnik, Obehave, me...

if you want a trouble free MCS, get EB. The color serves as a force field to keep gremlin's away!

So that's why our car is soo good

Seriously though, I think they've done quite well when you consider it's a totally new car, from a new factory, with new management, and a new workforce.

The japs wouldn't even try something so adventurous. Or if they did, they'd keep the cas in their local market until they had the bug sorted out.

[BruceK]

As a former Miata owner, I know how reliable the car can be. But to be fair, unlike the MINI, it wasn't a totally 'new' car when it was introduced. Mechanically, much of it was sourced from the proven late 1980's Mazda parts bin (engine and brakes from the 323 for example).

And don't forget a whole bunch of early Miatas were built with defective engine crank, causing their owners some severe problems.

[minirossa]

Racer X,
Alot of people approach me and ask about my Cooper's build quality; especially Japanese car owners. So,I see your perspective on the MINI.

I think alot problems can be attributed to the car's first year production woes. Early production MINI owners seem to have had much more faults than later model owners. Thus quality is improving. My Cooper was a June build. People I have met with Feb.,March & April built MINIs have alot more "war stories"

After 5,500 miles, my car has had only two small problems; a sticky seat back mechanism & a sunroof shade that left it's tracks. I am quite pleased with the car.....touch wood!

[MiniJim]

MINI owners are looking there cars over with a fine tooth comb. They want to know everything about there car. Most items would probably be overlooked by other car owners. When I bought my Miata in 92 We only had the Miata magazine to offer information/fixes - no internet then. They had a long list of how-to repairs. (wiring in headrest speakers, squeaking hood, balance of tires etc, which I had, and were easy repairs). I don't see any major flaws in the MINI - just a few blemishes.

[notpaddyhopkirk]

Although I am very impressed with the build quality of my MCS. I didn't buy it because I thought it would give me 10 years of trouble free motoring. I bought it because it is a GREAT CAR. Sometimes cars break. If you love the car you forgive it.

If your heart can't be your guide then buy a Miata or a Civic and enjoy its plodding reliability. I don't mean that to be rude, but to some, reliability is the most important attribute.

Me? I will drive a Mini and I will enjoy the directness and weight of the steering, the sound of the supercharger at 6800rpm and the snick-snick of the notchy little 6 speed while I am carving up turns at 8 tenths... and 8 tenths leaves everybody behind.

I bought my car because it was the only new car that actually made my jaded self smile. It makes me smile when I look at it and it makes me smile when I drive it. After owning nearly 50 cars in my lifetime, that is saying something!